Mr. Davis, Headteacher, reflects on the week.
Mr. Davis, Headteacher, reflects on the
week.
It was wonderful
to welcome back pupils and staﬀ

this week. To do so in Holy Week was even better
It issignificant.
about this time
of year that I meet with
and more

each Head of Department to review the
summer’s
exam
results.
This involves
Lent is coming
to a
close.
It is always
a period
plenty
of
useful
and
thought-provoking
when, if we are attempting to follow it even
but itofiswho
usually
talking
vaguely,discussion,
we take stock
we are
andabout
what
numbers and letters. Behind this data are
we are doing. We might reflect on our sense of
stories: how pupils did, how they felt, what
purpose or the wider meaning of our lives.

they liked and what they achieved. We
always focus on how things can be
Often we undertake fasting or similar minor
improved as well as celebrating what went
deprivations simply out of habit, but they are there
well. As a Catholic school, exam results are
to help us get in touch with our true selves by
just one way of expressing the unique, Godstripping away the things that are extraneous and
given talents and skills of each pupil. It is
distracting.

important to look beyond the data so I am
delighted that much more of my job involves
I know that our pupils have been thinking deeply
being in classes, walking around the school
about Lent. This week I have seen them present
and talking to pupils, students and staff.
to house assemblies on the meaning of Easter, I
have watched them lead prayer and I have
If ever you are feeling at all despondent or
witnessed them living out the values and beliefs of
fatigued I reckon a quick tour of the school
their faith across the school.

would quickly raise your spirits. Let me
show you what I mean. Today (Thursday,
Before we even returned from the holiday our
September 29th) for instance, I dropped into
Drama group, led by Mrs Tulloch, were in action at
Year 10 GCSE Music. There, I was
Salford Cathedral performing an excellent Passion
delighted to listen to performances of
Play for Palm Sunday. The piece was devised by
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Hold Back
the pupils
and captured beautifully the power of
the River and When the Saints Go Marching
the Gospel.
The young
performers
took
toChester
the
In. I also
got to sit
with Daniel
and
cavernous
space
very
well,
even
overcoming
as they demonstrated their prodigious DJing
minor technical
andlunch,
were I supervised the
talents. problems
Next, during
complemented
by
many
audience
members.
is
canteen and made a point of
watching Itthe
so powerful
to
see
young
people
taking
the
interactions that take place daily. Pupils and
message
of the
Gospel
andopen
interpreting
it in this
staff
holding
doors
for one another,
way.
offering thanks, little moments of personal
appreciation and gratitude. Of course,
Over thethings
holiday
a number
to but it
don’t
always of
gopupils
well inheaded
a school,
Austria with
the
PE
department
for
a
week
of
is lovely to witness a voluntary apology from
skiing. a
They
mercifully
fewstaff,
injuries
Yearreturned
9 to onewith
of the
lunch time
or
and some
very
good
memories.
A
huge
debt
of
see one pupil help another who is unsure
thanks must
wherego
toto
goMr.
forBurns
class. and the staﬀ who led
the trip, who were eﬀusive in their praise for the
pupils.
In Sixth Form, I enjoyed a lengthy chat with
Aidan who explained both the theory of
Head ofdifferentiation
Music Miss Jackson
was alsocommercial
busy in the
and its potential
holidaysapplication.
taking someInofEnglish
our musical
pupils
to the
they were studying
Spring 2019
Modulo
meet
with
Orchestras
for
the play Blood Brothers and talking withAll.
Pupils explored
the theme
of wordplay
and were
humour and
excitement
about superstitions;
joined by
tutors
from
the
BBC
Philharmonic
in Year 7 RE they were dissecting ourand
new
volunteers
from statement
the Royal Northern
College
mission
and exploring
the of
Music. personal
This weekmeanings
she ran awithin
seriesit.ofSchool
DJing is a
workshops
for
pupils
supported
by
the
busy, bustling, humming place. excellent
Inner Trust. The quality of the music produced by
the pupils was fabulous.

I get
tocan
Maths
find the
all of
Year 9 later
embroiled
As
you
seetofrom
pictures
on in this
in
a
task
that
is
so
challenging
and
edition, our sixth formers have beenexciting
hard at work
that
I want
to and,
stay and
haveworking
a go myself.
on
CV
writing
in DEC,
with
Outside
it’s:
“Sir,
have
you
seen
my tie? have
construction companies. Some students
Can you
open my
bottle?
Whatyear.
did you
already
secured
posts
for next
It was also
think
of
last
night’s
game?
What
timetoisdiscuss
it,
great to welcome back former pupils
Sir?”
and,
at
least
once
a
day,
“Oh
my
their apprenticeship journeys.

days!” It can be noisy at times and in a
community
this sizeare
wethe
can’t
expect eﬀorts of
Just
as impressive
charitable
everyone
to
get
on
with
each
Jono and Joe (pictured furtherother
on inall
thethe
time.
But
it
is
our
community,
and
a
lively,
newsletter) who spent a night sleeping
rough raise
lovely,
positive
one
at
that.
money to combat homelessness as part of the Big
Sleep.

Perhaps the single highlight of my week, if I
had to pick, would be the conversation I had
with Mrs. Fay who is leading the
development of our new library. I am a
library enthusiast and have been ever since
I was little. The furthest reach of my
memory is back to moments spent in our
local library entranced by its colour and
Just
before
we brokeOn
upTwitter
Pope Francis published a
bright
possibilities.
64
page document entitledreveals
Christus
#RememberingMyLibrary
theVivit!
hold(‘Christ
Lives!’)
which
is addressed
to young
that such
an institution
has:specifically
‘A library card
people.
It oﬀers
of food forwords
thought
was a free
pass plenty
to wonderment,
andfor
those
of ustowho
arethe
noworld’
longerobserves
quite so one
young.
the ability
roam
Amongst
other
messages
Father
user, whilst
another
quotesthe
theHoly
wrought
iron
encourages
us to refresh
our‘Read,
view ofMark,
the
gates of Stalybridge
library,
importance
and dignity
of theOthers
young talk
andofof
Learn and Inwardly
Digest.’
youthfulness
in an
age where
often children
the escape that
a library
represented
or of and
young
people
are dismissed
misrepresented.

the refuge
it offered
from an or
unkind
world.

this week our pupils have been
thinking deeply about lent and the
meaning of easter

Whilst
alsospent
reminding
the young
of the importance
Mrs. Fay
last Saturday
peacefully
of
recognising
the authority
stacking
the shelves
and weand
arewisdom
inching of age
and
experience
he says,’Jesus
use
closer
to opening.
What thrilledhad
meno
was
herfor
adults
whothat
looked
down
on the
young
or lorded it
comment
several
boys,
some
of whom
over
them.
On the
contrary,were
he insisted
thatby“the
affect
a dislike
of reading,
electrified
greatest
among
you must
become
the
presence
of a library
in their
school:like
‘You
youngest”
22:26).
For
himlike,
ageread
did not
mean I can(Lk
borrow
this
and,
it,
establish
privileges,
and being
youngofdid
not
Miss?’ was
the breathless
utterance
one
imply
worth is
oratdignity.’

of the
pupil.lesser
Our library
the heart
school: a space for being open to and
He
goes ideas
on to and
emphasise
the importance
sharing
experiences.
It is open-of giving
hope
to the
alsoas
ofalearning
from them
plan and
itsyoung,
shelvesbut
serve
reminder
by
being
or no
made
hopeful
again. As this
that
thererenewed
should be
barrier
to anyone
newsletter
shows, or
it isseeking
alwaysknowledge,
a privilege to work
using its volumes
with
our entertainment
young people or
and
be challenged
each
solace,
information.
I can’t
day
waitintothis
seeway.

it come to life in the weeks
ahead thanks to Mrs. Fay and her band of
God
bless,
helpers.
Ben
BenDavis
Davis, Headteacher
Headteacher
Twitter: @BenDavis1972
Twitter: @BenDavis1972

2

2

calendar
whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on

HOUSE POINTS

â&#x20AC;Š

Advance Notice

Year 10 & 12
reviews

WED
24

TUE
23
Easter Monday
Bank Holiday,
school closed

THU
25

This Week

This Year

St Benedict of Nursia

736

7927

St. Bernadette of
Lourdes

733

7578

St. Francis of Assisi

834

8195

St. Michael the
Archangel

704

7989

Blessed Oscar
Romero

715

8087

St. Teresa of Calcutta

825

7709

FRI
26
SAT
27

MON
22

COMING UP THIS WEEK
week beginning 22.04.19
week b

attendance
We aim for 100% attendance for all of our students and have set 96% as satisfactory attendance
for this year. Attendance is monitored period-by-period and statistics are published each week.
Excellent attendance guarantees excellent learning.
Attendance by year (w/b March 25th)

Year 7
Year 8
year 9
year 10
year 11
School

95.7%
94.9%
94.6%
94.8%
92.5%
94.5%

Attendance and its impact on learning
10 days absence means 95% attendance
19 days absence means 90% attendance
29 days absence means 85% attendance
38 days absence means 80% attendance
47 days absence means 75% attendance
Please note: If your child is off school you need
to contact student services the same day on

Many thanks to everyone who came along today for our
Passion Play and Well Done to the Amazing Yr.9 and 10
students from St.Ambrose Barlow RC high school. We
hope to see many of you during Holy Week.
@sabteamdrama @SABSalford @re_ambrose
11